


Wilson & Rogers

by gabby227



Series: Stucky Bingo [4]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Baker Steve Rogers, Barista Sam Wilson, Bisexual Sam Wilson, Darlene raised Steve, Dinner Parties, Gay Steve Rogers, Irish Twins Bucky Barnes & Rebecca Barnes, Lawyer Bucky Barnes, M/M, Matchmaker Becca Barnes, Pansexual Bucky Barnes, Pre-Serum Steve Rogers, Sam and Steve are adopted brothers, Sneaky Becca Barnes, Steve Rogers & Sam Wilson Friendship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-25
Updated: 2020-10-15
Packaged: 2021-01-02 18:02:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,813
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21165833
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gabby227/pseuds/gabby227
Summary: How hard is it to really find a decent cup of coffee? Bucky had such a hard time finding one, and decided he was going to give this little place in Brooklyn a try.And that's when he stepped into Wilson & Rogers.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I have been working on this fic for what seems like forever. I got a prompt on the House of Stucky Discord server and kind of just followed it. I have no updating schedule, but will update as often as I can.
> 
> Many thanks to [Narutaisho](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Narutaisho) and [Blackflipcat](https://archiveofourown.org/users/blackflipcat) for the beta. You guys rock!
> 
> This is a fill for two bingos:
> 
> Marvel Bingo -- O4 -- Coffee Shop  
Stucky Bingo -- N2 -- No Powers AU

Bucky Barnes was one of Brooklyn's top lawyers. He'd been a defense lawyer for almost eight years and was known as one of the most powerful and influential people in the entire city.

So why the _fuck_ couldn't he find a decent coffee shop?

He had gone to Starbucks for a really long time. There _was_ one on every corner -- or, at least, that's what it seemed like. But then he had gone to Indiana, where he was helping his sister move after her split from her ex-husband, and the small town she lived in didn't have a Starbucks, so he went to a mom-and-pop type coffee shop that Becca liked.

And their coffee was a _thousand_ times better than what he'd ever had at Starbucks.

So, once he moved Becca and her son back to Brooklyn, he decided to search the city. There _had_ to be a privately-owned coffee shop in the city, right? At least one?

So far, he'd been to six. _Six_. And he hadn't been able to find one yet.

So, he'd decided this was it. His very last try. If this wasn't _the one_, he was going back to Starbucks. Even though he really didn't want to, Bucky was pretty sure his luck was so bad that he wouldn't be able to find one -- not if this didn't pan out.

And that's when he stepped into Wilson & Rogers.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to post this sooner but life has been hell. Anyway, any comments/kudos are very appreciated! Also, art in this chapter, thanks to [Rachel](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TT_Angst_Queen/). You rock every time, doll!
> 
> The art is super-huge, by the way, so you'll have to scroll across to see the whole thing.
> 
> Also, many thanks to [Narutaisho](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Narutaisho) and [ Blackflipcat ](https://archiveofourown.org/users/blackflipcat) for the beta. You guys rock!

"Steve, where the hell are my cinnamon rolls?" Sam Wilson asked, irritated. "They were supposed to be out here ten minutes ago!"

Sam and Steve had been good friends for what seemed like forever. They had grown up together, and when Steve's mom died when he was in middle school, Sam's mom had taken him in, so now Sam and Steve were practically brothers.

They had had mutual crushes on each other in high school, and even went on a date, but it had ended disastrously. That was when they had vowed to never speak of it again, and their bond had changed _dramatically_.

Steve had stopped growing at fourteen, remaining the same five-foot-four he'd been for over half his life and didn't even weigh one hundred pounds while Sam went on to bulk up and grew to be at least half a foot taller than him. Once Sam graduated from high school, he had joined the Air Force and left both his mom and Steve behind.

Not even that could tear their friendship apart.

When Sam came home from Afghanistan, he had come back broken because of losing his wingman. Steve wouldn't let Sam sit around and mope. He forced him to go to therapy, he forced him to use whatever services at the VA that he qualified for, but, after a while, Steve noticed that Sam was just kind of _existing_. That was when he suggested opening the café.

It was more of a coffee shop and bakery rolled up into one. Sarah Rogers had had a fondness for baking and it was something she had shared with her son, so since Sarah had passed when he was so young and Steve had so many good memories associated with it, he had decided to go to baking school when he graduated from high school.

For years, he worked at other bakeries, and when Sam returned home and Steve became sick and tired of seeing him mope around and barely leave the apartment, they opened the café together.

Steve came out into the main dining area of the café, and he handed Sam a tray of cinnamon rolls.

"Freshly iced, your majesty," Steve said, voice dripping with sarcasm.

That's when the bell over the front of the door jingled as it opened. In stepped a man, probably around six feet tall, that looked to be at least two hundred pounds of pure muscle. He had short, chestnut-colored hair, stormy blue eyes, and at least two days' worth of stubble on his chin. He was dressed in what looked like a very nice, probably very expensive, three-piece suit that was a checkered charcoal grey color.

When Steve saw the man come into the shop, his crystal blue eyes widened, and his mouth dropped in a silent O. The man was absolutely _stunning_.

(If you want to see the artwork individually, you can do so [HERE](https://i.imgur.com/mJk4NKJ.jpg).) 

Sam leaned over to whisper teasingly to him, "Might wanna pick your jaw up off the floor. He's bound to notice."

Steve was temporarily struck dumb by the gorgeous guy who'd just walked through the front door of their café that he couldn't bring himself to stop staring. That's when he heard the chuckle come from Sam.

"Don't you have cookies in the oven, lover boy?" Sam asked him, and this time when Steve's eyes went wide, it was because of realization.

"Shit!" Steve cursed as he ran into the kitchen. He'd forgotten about his damn cookies!

He heard Sam in the main room, in the back of the cash register, asking the newcomer what he would like. That's when Steve heard his voice for the first time.

And oh God, this new stranger had a voice like melted butter. So silky smooth, and he had a deep baritone that made a shiver climb up Steve's spine.

"Welcome to Wilson and Rogers," Sam was telling the stranger. "I don't think I've ever seen you around here."

Bucky was surprised when the man behind the cash register asked him if he'd ever been there before. He'd definitely _never_ had anyone at Starbucks ask him that.

Bucky shook his head. "No, I've never been here before," he admitted, watching the attractive black man behind the counter. "I used to go to Starbucks, but then I went to Indiana and found out that small coffee shops make _much_ better coffee. Been searching for the right one ever since."

Sam laughed. "Yeah, we tend to do things like that," he grinned. "And I hope you stick around. Name's Sam Wilson."

Bucky stuck out his hand for Sam to shake, and he did. "I'm James Barnes," he mentioned, "but everybody calls me Bucky."

"Nice to see you here, Bucky," Sam nodded. "Now, do you know what you'd like to try?"

There were so many choices. There were several coffees; not as many as Starbucks had, but that was okay with Bucky, especially when, ninety-five percent of the time, he drank his coffee black anyway. But the thing that drew Bucky's attention was the selection of baked goods.

"This a bakery, too?" he asked. Sam nodded.

"Yeah. My friend and I opened up about five years ago. He's a baker and I like my coffee. We decided to partner up. He makes all the baked goods."

"How's your friend's baking?" Bucky asked curiously.

"He's pretty amazing," Sam gushed. "The white chocolate macadamia nut cookies -- those're fucking _fabulous_, if you like that kind of thing."

"Sounds intriguing," Bucky laughed. "I'd love one. Actually, make it three. I'm on my way to see my sister."

"Three? What, a whole one for each of you and then split one in two?" Sam joked. Bucky smiled and shook his head.

"Nah. My sister has a little boy. My nephew."

Sam nodded.

Sam made Bucky's coffee and handed him the cookies, wrapped in a little paper bag. Bucky handed him a couple of bills in return and Sam smiled at him.

"I hope you like the coffee, Bucky," Sam smiled pleasantly. "And I really hope you come back soon."

"We'll see how the coffee and cookies pan out," Bucky laughed. "If they do, then I have _finally_ found the right coffee shop."

And with that, Bucky left.

Once Bucky was gone, Sam glanced into the kitchen and yelled, "Stevie, you can come out now! He's gone!"

Steve was holding a loaf of banana bread, fresh from the oven, when he came out. "What are you even talking about?" he asked his friend. "I wasn't avoiding him!"

"Uh huh, I _totally_ believe you," Sam replied, the tone of his voice telling Steve that he meant the _opposite_ of what he was saying. "Why did you run away, then?"

"Because my cookies were burning, asshole," Steve snarked as he punched Sam's shoulder softly. Sam outweighed Steve by at least a hundred pounds, so Steve wasn't going to do any damage, and Sam just laughed at the gesture. "You're the one who fucking pointed it out!"

Again, Sam just laughed at his friend.

"Remember, we've got dinner at Ma's tonight," Sam said to Steve as he rushed back into the kitchen. "You can't bail this time, either! No way in hell I'm covering for you! Not again!"

***

Bucky whistled as he walked down the street. Becca didn't live that far away from Wilson & Rogers, the darling little café he'd found. It was only a couple of blocks, so he decided to walk it.

He took a sip of his coffee and he let out a moan. It was actually quite loud, which explained the stares he was getting from the few passersby.

The coffee Sam made was fucking _incredible_. It was probably the best coffee he'd ever had, so much more flavor than a regular coffee at Starbucks. It was also much, _much_ better than any of the coffee he'd ever gotten from any other coffee shop, too. Yes, Bucky was _definitely_ going back there again.

He walked into Becca's apartment without knocking -- which was actually something that Bucky'd always done whenever he went to see his sister. He saw his sister on the couch, stretched out on her back with her arms folded underneath her head, her son sitting on top of her legs, and he was fully invested in an episode of _Paw Patrol_ on TV.

Bucky shrugged as he closed the door and went over to where his sister and nephew were. Tommy seemed enraptured by the cartoon on the television, although Becca had her eyes closed and her stomach was slowly moving up and down; she was apparently sleeping.

"You letting Momma get some good sleep, buddy?" Bucky murmured to his nephew. The little boy nodded.

"Yep," he said proudly, looking up at his uncle. "Bein' a good boy."

Bucky nodded as he patted Tommy's head, smoothing the black locks away from his nephew's dark brown eyes. "Yes, you definitely are, bubba."

God, Bucky loved his nephew. He couldn't _stand_ Becca's ex, how big of a douchebag he'd been to his sister, but he'd given Tommy to the family, and while that didn't excuse him for being a bastard, it made Bucky happy that he had someone to dote on.

Tommy sat atop his momma and continued to watch the cartoon that was still on the television, and Bucky walked over to the easy chair that was on the other side of the couch, right next to where his sister's head lay.

"Hey, Becks," Bucky said, his voice soft as he watched his sister. "Baby sister, wake up."

Becca opened one eye to look at her brother, "Wasn't sleeping, jerk. Just had my eyes closed. And you _know_ how I feel about you calling me that."

Bucky chuckled. Hardly anything irritated Becca more than when her brother called her his _baby sister._

Bucky nodded slowly, a grin forming on his lips. "Uh huh. _Sure_ you weren't."

Becca just rolled her eyes at her brother.

"So, I found a new coffee shop a couple of blocks from here," Bucky said conversationally, watching his sister closely. Becca's stormy eyes remained on her brother, so Bucky continued, "Wilson and Rogers. Ever heard of it?"

Becca nodded, "Yeah. Went there a couple of weeks ago. That Steve Rogers is a little cutie, isn't he?"

"Steve?" Bucky was puzzled. "The guy I talked to was named Sam."

"Oh," Becca commented. "Steve's the baker. He makes the cookies, cakes, breads..." her voice trailed off. "Little blond guy. Not any taller than I am."

"Ohhh." That's when the realization hit Bucky. "I saw him. I mean, kinda. He was running out of the room just as I was entering. Didn't get to talk to him or anything, but I _did_ buy some cookies."

"Cookies?" Tommy's head popped up to look at his uncle. "Unca Bucket, _cookies_?"

Bucky smiled. God, he loved his nephew.

Tommy started calling Bucky _Unca Bucket_ as soon as he could talk. They weren't sure why, not exactly, but Becca surmised that Tommy called his uncle that because everybody called him 'Bucky,' and 'Bucket' was close. Either way, even though Becca had corrected Tommy a couple of times, and Tommy _could_ say 'Bucky' properly now, they all stopped correcting him eventually because both Becca and their parents all thought it was just too damn cute. And Bucky...well, he wasn't very good at denying his nephew _anything_. 

"Yeah, cookies. It's up to your momma whether or not you can have one, though."

When Tommy started climbing up his mother's body to take a good look at her, Bucky noticed the scowl she sent his way. It made him smirk just a little, though; he knew that she wasn't _really_ upset with him, she just liked to make him _think_ she was. They both knew that Becca would do _anything_ to make her son happy.

"How 'bout it, Momma?" Tommy was watching his mother now. He was practically lying on her chest, his dark brown eyes watching his mother's stormy ones. Other than the "Oof," she let out when he plopped down on her chest, she was pretty quiet, so Tommy continued, "Unca Bucket brought me a cookie! Please?"

Bucky let out a quiet laugh as he watched his sister and nephew interact. Finally, Becca sighed.

"Okay, Buck, but not a whole one. How about half?"

Bucky nodded.

"C'mere, short stack," Bucky said, and while Tommy laughed at the nickname, he jumped off his mother and walked over to his uncle.

Breaking the cookie in half, Bucky handed one of them to Tommy. The boy gave his uncle a toothy smile.

"Baby, what do you say to Unca Bucket?" Becca asked her son as she ignored the annoyed glance Bucky shot her way. Becca knew _damn well_ that Bucky only let _Tommy_ call him that, but he figured she only used it for that _baby sister_ comment he made earlier.

"Thanks, Unca Bucket," Tommy said as he toddled around the coffee table one more time and then climbed back up on the couch next to his mom. He started to eat his treat as he continued to watch cartoons.

"I brought one for you, too, brat," Bucky commented. He handed a cookie to his sister, who just eyed him suspiciously.

"What is it?"

"White chocolate macadamia nut," he answered her, taking his own out of the bag. He put the other half of Tommy's cookie back in the bag and set it on the coffee table.

When he tasted his cookie, he let a moan escape his mouth. This was one of the best damn things he'd ever tasted; it practically melted in his mouth!

"Pretty good, huh, Buck?" Becca asked as she watched her brother. "Yeah, Steve's a _fantastic_ baker. I love everything of his that I've ever tried." She made sure her son was immersed in the show before continuing, very softly, "And I swear to God, he's the cutest little twink I've ever seen in my life."

Bucky knew why Becca said that, but he wasn't going to make a big issue out of it. Instead, he just shrugged.

"Mom and Dad are back in town," she said, taking Bucky's hint and changing the subject. "Got in last night. They want us to have dinner tonight. You in?"

"I really ought to get some work done..." Bucky started, but Becca just shook her head.

"No, you don't, big brother. I am _not_ going to sit in on a dinner with our parents _by myself_. Kyle and I have only been broken up for six months and Ma _already_ wants to know why I'm not dating yet. I am _not_ gonna sit at a dinner with them, _by myself_, so she can question me about my dating life."

"You'd rather have me there so she can question mine?" Bucky asked sarcastically. Becca smiled brightly and nodded.

"You're older than me, Buck," she answered, watching him closely, but Bucky could see the mirth dancing in her eyes. "And, as my older brother, it's your job to protect your baby sister. Even when it comes to our parents."

Bucky rolled his eyes. "Jesus, Becks," he groaned. "You're only younger by fifteen months."

Shrugging, she grinned at him. "Still younger, jerk. That's gotta count for something."


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it's been a long time, and I'm sorry. I've been quite sick over the last month; first a sinus infection, then an upper respiratory infection, then the flu. I'm finally doing better.
> 
> Chapter's been beta'd by [DragonLover73](http://archiveofourown.org/users/dragonlover73). You rock, doll!
> 
> I hope you guys like the chapter!

Darlene was busy setting the table when Sam came through the front door. "Mom? You here?" he called out.

"Yeah, honey!" she called back. "I'm in the dining room!"

When Sam walked into the dining room, his mother pulled him in for a hug. "Good to see you, sweetheart," she murmured into his chest. When they pulled apart, she looked at him, "Where's Stevie?"

"He should be here," Sam told his mother. "I expect him to be here. We'll see if he shows up, though." He looked into his mother's deep brown eyes before adding, "If Steve _doesn't_ show up, however, I have absolutely _nothing_ to do with it."

She smiled as she nodded.

They were about to sit down for dinner when Steve walked into the dining room. He leaned over and gave Darlene a kiss on the cheek.

"Sorry I'm late, Darlene," he apologized as he took his usual spot next to Sam. "I was trying out a new recipe at the bakery and lost track of time."

"Oh?" she asked, interested. "What are you baking now, Stevie?"

"It's a mango cream cheesecake," he answered. Darlene looked intrigued, but Sam just looked at Steve wildly.

"Mango cream?" he asked, a disgusted look taking over his features. "Really?"

"It's actually pretty good, Sammy," Steve said to his friend, laughing at the face he was making. "Not too much mango, not too creamy. I think you'll like it."

"Is it something you're gonna sell at the shop?" Darlene asked her adopted son. "Do you think it'll bring in any money?"

"You tell me, Darlene," Steve said as he started to help himself to the food in front of him. "I brought some for dessert. Just as a trial run."

"Sounds good, sweetheart," Darlene smiled.

Steve nodded.

Darlene had started a tradition of weekly family dinners when it was just she and Steve. Sam had joined the Air Force and Steve had his own apartment, but Darlene had told him so many times, _I can't spend time with one of my sons, but I'll be damned if I don't spend time with you, Stevie._

So, Steve always came for dinner with Darlene every Friday night and even after Sam came back from Afghanistan, he _never_ missed dinner with his mom and adopted brother.

Except for once.

The one time that Steve missed dinner was the night Sam was referring to when he told Steve he wasn't going to cover for him. Because Steve had had a boyfriend at the time, and they had gotten into an altercation and Steve had ended up in the ER. Darlene never found out about it, and Sam didn't feel comfortable about lying to his mom like that. He vowed that he'd never do it again.

And he hadn't.

Steve felt horrible about lying to Darlene -- the woman who'd fucking _raised_ him -- that he never wanted to put Sam in that position ever again.

"How are you doing, Stevie?" Darlene asked as she helped herself to the fried chicken. "Meet anybody new?"

Steve rolled his eyes. He had been in a toxic relationship for a while, a relationship that both Darlene and Sam had told him he needed to get out of, and when he finally _did_ get out of it, they were thrilled.

Steve had told them so many times that he just wanted to be single for a while. He'd never really had much luck when it came to relationships; he just wasn't what people were looking for. He honestly couldn't blame them -- he was small and skinny, not what people thought about when they thought of a man. They didn't care about how he worked out when he was able to, so even though he couldn't manhandle his lovers around, he was stronger than he looked.

"No, Darlene," he said in a monotone voice. He hated how she intruded on his romantic life, but Sam had told him so many times that's what a mother did. It'd been a long time since Steve had had a mother that he just didn't think about these things.

"What about that guy that came into the café earlier?" Sam asked as Steve shot daggers at him with his eyes. Darlene looked at her son curiously.

"There's a new guy that came into the shop earlier," Sam explained, looking at his mother. "Stevie likes him."

"I don't _like_ him, Sam; I don't even know him. He's cute. That's all."

"Really," Darlene said, interested. "It's been a long time since you've said that."

Steve rolled his eyes.

"Tell me about him," Darlene said to Sam, watching her son intently. "Has he ever been in the shop before?"

He shook his head, taking a bite of his chicken. "Nope," he said after he swallowed. "He said he used to go to Starbucks, but was looking for a nice, small shop to get his coffee from. Took some of Stevie's cookies."

"Which cookies?" Darlene asked with interest, and even Steve shot a curious look at him.

"The biggest seller Steve's got," Sam said, taking a swig of his beer. "The white chocolate macadamia nut. He said that if he liked them, he'd be back."

"Which means he'll probably be back," Darlene said, a twinkle in her eye. When Steve started to protest, Darlene just shot him a glare and said, "Admit it, Stevie. You and Sammy are good at what you do."

Steve just sighed, but he knew he couldn't fight with Darlene. After all, there was no point; the woman always won.

***

"Jaime, you look good," Winifred Barnes said as her son followed his sister and nephew into his childhood home that night. "You gettin' enough sleep? How about enough to eat?"

"Ma, I'm fine," Bucky sighed. "I _can_ take care of myself, you know. I've been doing it for years. Been out of law school and practicing for the last eight years."

"I know, Jaime, but I worry about you," Winifred said, pulling her son into a hug. "It's a mother's prerogative, you know."

Bucky just sighed again.

Winifred pulled Becca into a hug and then picked up her grandson. "Hey there, Tommy," she was saying to him. "How's my buddy doing?"

As Winifred took to talking to Tommy, Becca looked over at her brother. "Thanks for coming with me, Buck," she said to him. "I appreciate it."

"You just appreciate it because Ma's gonna stress over me instead of you for a change," he mumbled. "Right?"

She gave him a smirk and shrugged, which told him he was right.

When they sat down to dinner Bucky was surprised when it was his father, not his mother, that was the one to ask, "You met any new people lately, son?"

Bucky rolled his eyes; he _really_ wasn't in the mood for the third degree. His family had spent so much time worrying about his love life. Bucky had a few failed relationships, despite the fact that he was friends with the people he'd been with, and two of them even ended up dating each other. It was almost like his family didn't care if Bucky was happy or not -- they just wanted him with someone else romantically.

Bucky just hadn't found the right person yet.

"I'm good the way I am, Pop," Bucky replied, taking a bite of his salad. "You know that a relationship doesn't define a person."

"I know that, Jaime," George replied, watching Bucky closely. "I just worry about you."

Once again, Bucky rolled his eyes.

This wasn't anything new; Bucky's parents worried about their children. His mom spent more time fretting over his sister than Bucky, but every once in a while, she put her attention on her son. He'd been taking care of himself a long time, but it wasn't like he didn't _want_ a significant other. He just wanted it to be _true_, and _right_.

"I just can't understand it, Jaime," Winifred was saying to her son. "You're thirty-two years old. Rebecca was married when she was twenty-six."

"Ma, you know it's fine I don't have anyone, right?" Bucky asked as he rolled his eyes. "It's not like the fifties. People are single all over the world. We don't _need_ someone to complete us."

"I know that, Jaime," Winifred conceded. "I just worry about you."

"Bucky found a new coffee shop today," Becca said conversationally to her parents as she cut up chicken for her son. Bucky could've kissed her for realizing that he needed the save. "Wilson and Rogers. It's over by my apartment."

"I've never heard of it before," George hummed thoughtfully as he took a swig of his strawberry lemonade. The summer just started, and every year, as soon as April hit, Winifred made jugs and jugs of lemonade, and it wasn't just regular lemonade. There were all kinds of flavors.

"It's about three blocks south," Becca continued. She glanced at Bucky before looking at their dad, "Run by two guys. Sam Wilson and Steve Rogers. I've met them before -- they're sweet."

"Are they married?" Winifred asked, and even though both Bucky and his sister rolled their eyes, Becca answered her anyway.

"No. Sam Wilson lost his partner a few years back. They were in the Air Force together, and Riley was killed in a night op. Riley wasn't just Sam's boyfriend; they had been together for years, and he was also his wingman. So when Riley died, Sam broke."

"That's horrible," Winifred said. It wasn't that his mom was all about people having significant others; no, Winifred had a lot of caring and compassion in her body. She just wanted what was best for her children. "How's he doing nowadays?"

"Good," Becca answered.

"I thought you didn't really know them, Becks," Bucky said as he took a sip of his lemonade. Peach was what Bucky had settled on -- peach was Bucky's favorite flavor, and whenever Winifred made peach lemonade, it all went home with him. "That's what you told me."

"I get bored," Becca shrugged. She glanced over at Tommy, who was picking at his dinner, and then back at Bucky. "I have time in-between working. Sometimes I go down to their coffee shop and just chat with them. They're sweethearts."

Bucky just shrugged.

"Buck's gotta meet them socially," Becca continued, watching her parents. "They're sweet guys. That Steve Rogers is freaking _adorable_."

"Adorable?" Winifred looked confused as she and George exchanged glances. "What do you mean?"

"Steve's a little guy. He isn't any bigger than I am. Five-four and probably a hundred pounds, if that. But he's _feisty_."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Bucky asked her. He hadn't heard her say _that_ before.

"Steve's always got some kind of battle to fight," Becca continued. "He doesn't just sit around while other people are being hurt. He's always fighting some injustice, no matter what it is. I remember about a month ago, there was a teenage girl getting catcalled right on the street in front of their shop. Steve went out to make sure she was okay, and he ended up fighting the guys that were doing it. As small as that guy is, he pretty much attacked one of 'em when they said something uncouth about the girl."

"What happened?" Winifred asked.

"Well," Becca started, "Steve ended up with a black eye. But, apparently, he had 'em on the ropes."

"He's a small guy," Bucky said. Not that he knew anything about being small physically, but he knew what it was like to feel inadequate. "He wants to prove to people that he's just as capable as the rest of us."

And, somehow, he knew that was the truth.

***

"I can't believe you didn't try any of that cheesecake last night, Sammy," Steve was saying to his friend as he was sitting on the counter while Sam was in the back of the cash register. "It was good. Darlene really liked it."

"Ma's got no taste, Stevie, don't be too surprised," Sam laughed as Steve punched his shoulder. "Besides, I don't do mango."

"According to your Nana Wilson, mango heals everything."

And that was true. Nana Wilson believed that every physical sickness someone could have could be cured by mangos. Neither Steve, Sam, nor Darlene could ever figure out why she felt the way she did, but Steve knew firsthand about Nana Wilson's belief. With as many physical ailments as Steve had as a child, she tried to force-feed Steve mangos for years until Darlene put a stop to it.

"I can't believe that, with Nana giving you all those mangos as a child, you still like them, Stevie," Sam commented. "She force-fed you those things for years."

Steve nodded, "Yeah. But I got over it."

They had a slow morning. They had regular customers who came in early, which was why the shop was opened at four in the morning; not only did Steve have to come in super-early to start his baking, but there was a factory about two blocks away and the early shift started at five.

After the factory workers left, however, nobody had come in. That was, until about five minutes later. That's when Becca Barnes came in, her four-year-old son in tow.

"Hey, Becca," Steve commented, watching Sam's face. Sam had had a crush on Becca since the first time she walked into their shop but wasn't brave enough to say anything to her. "How are you today?"

"I'm good, Stevie," she said. She ordered a cookie for her son and then looked at them. "I actually came down to ask you guys a question, but I figured I'd buy Tommy a C-O-O-K-I-E while I was here." Steve had met Tommy many times before, so he knew exactly why Becca spelled it out.

"Would the two of you like to come over for dinner on Friday?" she asked them. "I know you close a little after six, and I'm having my brother over. He'd really like to have you there as well."

"I'd like to meet your brother," Steve said. "He must be patient, to put up with you."

Becca grinned, "He's tried all my life, but he hasn't been able to yet. Besides, you've already met him."

"We have?" That was Sam, who finally got his voice back as Becca looked at him. She nodded.

"Yep. James Barnes. Also goes by Bucky. He was in here yesterday."

Steve panicked internally. He wasn't sure how he was going to survive the night with a man that looked _that good_ there, but he nodded anyway.

"Great!" Becca grabbed the bag that Sam put the cookie in and then turned to leave. Right before she stepped out the open door, she turned around, looking directly at Steve, and then said, "He's single, too. He'd love to meet you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I based Sam's Nana Wilson on my ex-husband's mother. She swore up and down that any kind of illness could be cured by mangos and pomegranates. When my ex had cancer, she wanted him to eat as many as possible, and every time she came over, she'd bring him juice. Mango juice and pomegranate juice. I never did understand why.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This has taken forever, and I'm sorry about that. I've dealt with a lot in the past year, and I've also been struggling with my mental illness, so writing hasn't been easy for me. I want to start updating regularly, but we'll see what happens. Anyway, many thanks to PersonalJunkDrawer and HighFunctioningSociopath for beta-ing this chapter. I was without a beta and they stepped up and helped me, so thank you so much for your help, guys!

“Fucking Becca and her goddamned matchmaking,” Bucky muttered to himself as he pulled a shirt out of his closet. When he agreed to go to her house for dinner that night, she hadn’t mentioned that she’d invited other people. That was, until about four o’clock that afternoon.

She had played fucking  _ dirty _ . She waited until the very last minute so he wouldn’t be able to back out. All week, she had been telling Tommy that he’d be there, just because she knew Bucky didn’t like disappointing him and would pretty much do anything for his nephew. If Tommy wanted the moon, Bucky would find a way to get it for him.

“You know, James, that isn’t a very nice way to talk about your sister,” came the voice from his bed. When he looked over, he saw the redhead lounging across his king-sized bed.

Bucky had been friends with Natasha Romanov for forever. They had been friends since elementary school and were close by the time they both got accepted to the same law school. Once upon a time, they had even tried dating, but it just wasn’t meant to be. They made considerably better friends than lovers, and they both knew it. The breakup was very much mutual, and she still remained one of his closest friends.

It wasn’t long after their breakup that Bucky had introduced her to his high school boyfriend, Clint Barton. He figured they’d get along -- and they did. Natasha had been engaged to Clint for about a year now.

“Yeah, well, it’s what she’s fucking doing,” Bucky grumbled. He turned around and held a shirt up to himself, a light blue button-up with short sleeves. For some asinine reason, Becca had told him to  _ dress nicely _ . “She won’t leave well enough alone. I mean, yeah, I haven’t dated in a while, but I don’t  _ need  _ a significant other to complete me.”

Natasha nodded.

“Wear that one,” Natasha said, almost automatically. “The blue makes your eyes pop.”

“I don’t even know why I’m doing this,” Bucky groaned as he removed his shirt and put the blue one on. “I could tell her I have work to do at the last minute. She might buy it.”

“Not a chance,” Natasha countered. Bucky looked at her curiously.

“Firstly, James, Becca’s not gonna stop. She wants the best for you. Whether you’ll admit it or not, you’re lonely. She wants you to be happy. And secondly, she knows you have no extra work to do today. She already called me.”

“Ugh.”

“Besides, this’ll be good for you. Spend time with your sister. Go socialize with a couple of cute guys. It’ll be good for you.”

“I really hate you sometimes, Tasha, you know that?”

Natasha chuckled, “I love you, too, James.”

***

When Becca had told Steve and Sam to  _ dress nicely _ , Steve was at a loss. He didn’t own much, as far as  _ nice clothing _ went. He did have a couple of dress shirts, just for when Darlene would drag him to church or formal functions when Sam was in the Air Force. He hadn’t gained any weight since then, so they still fit him, but it wasn’t much.

After probably too much deliberating, he finally settled on a green button-down with a pair of jeans. That’s when he heard Sam come through the front door.

“You ready to go yet, Stevie?” Sam asked. He didn’t knock; whenever Sam came over, he never knocked or let himself be known. On top of that, he knew where Steve kept the spare key. “We’re supposed to be over there in twenty minutes.”

“Yeah, yeah, Sammy,” Steve groaned. “I’m coming.”

The ride over to Becca’s apartment was a quiet one. Steve could swear his heart was going to leap right out of his chest at the rate it was beating, and that was a bad thing, considering his heart murmur.

“Relax, buddy,” Sam said to Steve as they stood in front of Becca’s apartment door. “I can feel your heart beating all the way over here. Just calm down a little.”

“I’m having a hard time with it, Sammy,” Steve snarked. “It’s not something you can just  _ control _ .”

Sam leaned over and put a soothing hand on Steve’s shoulder. “It’ll be fine. You’ll see.”

When Becca opened the door, she smiled brightly. “I’m glad you two are here! I was scared you weren’t gonna show.”

“We’ll always come to dinner at your place.” Sam smiled. Even though Sam had a crush on Becca, he was always really smooth with his words when it came to people he crushed on. “Stevie and I love spending time with you.”

“Well, come in,” she told them, stepping aside so they could enter the apartment. “My brother is coming, but he isn’t here yet. He’s probably got a friend over at his place, complaining about coming.”

“Complaining?” Steve asked as he followed Sam inside the apartment. Becca’s apartment was decorated so nicely; rich and warm, with neutral colors and the living room was so open and inviting. Everything seemed in place, too; just from looking at the living room, he had no idea that Becca had a kid. It was only given away by one playing with some blocks in the corner, over by the sliding glass door that led to the balcony.

“Yeah. My brother doesn’t socialize a lot. If it were up to him, he’d be alone with his cat.”

“He has a cat?” Sam asked as he went over to say hello to Tommy. Sam had always liked Tommy; there were instances where Sam would keep Tommy company when Becca was talking to Steve.

Becca nodded. “Uh huh,” she replied, watching Sam closely. “He’s had him forever. Found him in an alleyway when Alpine was just a kitten. He’s Tommy’s buddy.” Becca smiled at her son, “Isn’t that right?”

Tommy nodded. “Mm-hmm,” he smiled. “I like Alpine.”

“Why don’t you boys sit down?” Becca asked, getting her to the couch. “I can get you guys something to drink. Anything specific you’d want?”

“Just water,” Steve told her. Sam nodded.

Becca went into her kitchen and grabbed a couple of bottles of water. As she was on her way back, that’s when she heard her brother’s voice.

“Rebecca, this better be a good dinner, because --”

Becca smirked as she heard her brother’s voice trail off. She knew  _ exactly  _ what was going on in her brother’s mind.

Steve Rogers was  _ just  _ her brother’s type. Bucky loved guys who looked like him; he was adorable, as she’d told her parents the last time they’d had dinner together. Not only was Steve small and skinny, but he had a fire to him. Bucky  _ loved  _ guys who could keep him on his toes. Bucky was an attorney, and he was a damn good one, but he’d told his sister time and time again that he didn’t want to be surrounded by people who just agreed with him. He wanted a  _ challenge _ .

And Becca had never seen more of a challenge for her brother than little Steve Rogers.

“Come on in, Buck,” Becca told her brother as she handed Sam and Steve their bottles of water. “Have a seat, take a load off. You can get to know my favorite barista and baker.”

Sam felt himself flush at Becca’s compliment. Steve rolled his eyes; Sam had it so bad for the woman, and Steve wondered how long it would take him to admit it.

“Buck, you know Sam and Steve?” Becca asked innocently. It wasn’t going to take very long for Bucky to realize her motives.

In fact, he knew it right away. Like he’d told Natasha earlier, Becca was matchmaking again.

Bucky wasn’t immune to his sister’s matchmaking; in fact, Becca had tried to match Bucky for years. He had gotten to the point where he just didn’t want to try out anybody Becca suggested because she didn’t often realize what Bucky liked. But, he had to admit, Becca may have been right about this one.

“So, Bucky,” Sam started, looking at him. “What is it that you do?”

“I’m a lawyer,” he answered. “Have a practice with a couple of good friends of mine. We’ve been practicing for nearly eight years now.”

“That’s quite a while,” Sam mused.

When Sam realized that Steve was just sitting there, he elbowed his friend. “This is Steve,” he said to Bucky. “The baker at our cafe.”

Bucky nodded. “Becca told me,” he stated. “I loved the cookies, by the way. And the coffee was damn near perfect.”

“Unca Bucket said a bad word!” Came from his nephew in the corner. Bucky chuckled as he pulled a quarter out of his jeans pocket and handed it to Tommy as he ran over to him.

“Thanks!”

“Go put that in your piggy bank, baby,” Becca said to Tommy. He nodded and went to do as his mother told him.

“What was that about?” Steve asked, finally finding his voice. Bucky shrugged.

“Whenever anybody swears in front of Tommy, they give him a quarter,” Bucky explained. “It’s something we’ve been doing for a long time.”

“And, of course, Buck has pretty much filled his piggy bank.” Becca laughed, “He can’t control his mouth.”

Bucky laughed.

“You liked the cookies?” Steve asked, almost like he was amazed. Bucky nodded.

“They were great. I gave one to Becca and one to Tommy, too. They were so good, they practically melted in my mouth.”

Steve blushed as he smiled. “Thanks. You should come by sometime. I’m working on a few new creations.”

“Ooh,” Becca said. “Like what?”

“Well, I just put the finishing touches on a new recipe last week. Mango cream cheesecake.”

“Mango cream?” Bucky asked, making a face. “Really?”

Sam laughed. “See?” he asked Steve. “You’re still crazy. Even someone who wasn’t force-fed mangos hates the idea.”

“Force-fed?” Becca’s brow crinkled, as did Bucky’s. “What does that mean?”

Steve sighed. “I grew up with Sammy,” he said “My mom died when I was twelve. Sam and I were friends already, and his mom didn’t want me to go into foster care. So she took care of me. I was never adopted, but they are still my family.” He ran a hand through his hair and took a breath to try to calm his nervous rambling. Studiously ignoring his embarrassment -- Bucky hadn’t asked for his life story after all -- he forces himself back on track. “Um, anyway, I was a sickly kid. Had several issues. And Sam’s Nana Wilson swore that mangos could cure anything.”

“That sounds...odd,” Bucky murmured, and Steve nodded.

“Yeah. She swore that mangos could cure any illness, so whenever I was over there, or whenever she came over to Darlene’s house, she’d bring me mangos. Actual mangos, mango juice, whatever she could. And Darlene finally put a stop to it when I was about fifteen. She told her she wouldn’t stand for it anymore. But Sam thinks I shouldn’t like mangos anymore, since I was exposed to them so much when I was younger.”

“But you do?”

Steve shrugged. “Things are different when you choose to eat them versus when you’re being forced to eat them. I like mangos. I don’t eat them as much as I was forced to when I was a kid, but I still like the flavor.”

“So, mango cream, huh?” Becca asked. “How is it?”

“I like it,” Steve admitted. “So does Darlene. Sammy won’t try it.”

“Why not?” Becca asked him.

“‘Cause it’s weird!” Sam laughed. “Look, to each his own and all that jazz, but I just don’t go in for mangos. Ma liked it, but she’ll try anything.”

Both Bucky and Becca laughed at that.

“Anyway, dinner’s ready,” Becca said a moment later. “Buck, will you go get Tommy? Make him wash his hands.”

Bucky nodded as he went to get his nephew.

***

Dinner was delightful. Becca hadn’t made anything fancy, but it was still better than what Steve would’ve made in his own apartment. Steve may have been a terrific baker, a genius when it came to sweets and breads, but he could  _ not  _ manage to make any food with sustenance worth a damn.

As Becca cut up pieces of hamburger for her son, she looked at Sam and Steve. “You boys been getting a lot of business?”

Steve nodded. “Yeah. It’s that time of year. Pretty soon, the kids’ll be out of school and they’ll be spending money there. And then there's the high school girls.”

Becca raised an eyebrow and Steve chuckled. “There’s a group of high school girls who come in every Saturday afternoon and order something just so Sam’ll talk to them.”

Sam rolled his eyes, “He’s exaggerating. Stevie, don’t you think it’s possible that they  _ like  _ the food?”

“Of course I do,” Steve agreed with a nod. “After all, the last time they were there, they ordered my caramel apple cake, and even bought a whole one to take home. But they take every excuse they can find to chat you up, Sam, and don’t deny it. I’ve got eyes.”

That made Becca and Bucky laugh.

“I’m debating on a few new gimmicks,” Steve said after he took a swallow of his water. “Cupcake Friday, or something. I’m not sure what to do yet, but Sam said he’ll support me, whatever it is.”

Becca nodded.

“So how’d you get into baking, anyway?” Bucky asked Steve a moment later.

He may have found Steve  _ insanely attractive _ , but there was a reason he was one of the best defense lawyers in the city. He was always able to keep his cool and be able to talk, even when he almost felt tongue-tied.

“My mom,” Steve said softly. “She was a baker. I spent a good deal of my childhood baking with her. It was one of those nostalgia things, you know? So I wanted to study it. And then, a few years ago, Sam and I decided to go into business.”

Sam nodded. “Yeah. I like coffee.”

Bucky laughed at Sam’s comment, but he nodded.

“Your coffee is some of the best I’ve ever had,” Bucky gushed. “I really liked it. It was amazing, and I will definitely be back for more.”

Sam nodded with a bright smile. “Thanks, man.”

When Steve noticed the blush on his friend’s face, he rolled his eyes. “Every time, Sammy,” he said with a laugh. “You get several compliments a day and they still fluster you every damn time.”

Sam just stuck his tongue out at Steve in response.

Their evening went on and they had a good time. After they finished dinner and Becca was bathing Tommy, Bucky led Steve and Sam over to the couch in the living room.

He looked at Steve. “You ever have any time outside of work?” he asked him.

Steve shrugged. “It takes up a lot of time, I’m not gonna lie. It takes a lot of work to become a genius with sweets.” He laughed and saw Sam and Bucky both crack smiles. “Actually, we close up shop on Sundays. It was a compromise when we opened.”

“Compromise?” Bucky asked. Sam nodded.

“Yeah, my ma is religious and didn’t want us working on Sundays, especially when we could create our own schedule. We do things to make her happy. She’s my ma, you know?”

Bucky laughed. “Yeah, I know  _ exactly  _ how that goes.”

**Author's Note:**

> If you like my writing please consider [buying me a coffee](https://ko-fi.com/gabby227).
> 
> I'm now taking prompts on my [tumbr](http://gabby227.tumblr.com/).


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